November 26, 2006For years to come many a student of American history
will dwell, I suspect, with special delight on a remarkable consequence
of the congressional elections recently concluded, namely the
"underdog's triumph" that Connecticut's Senator Joseph I. Lieberman
scored, thanks to which the decision is now his to make as to whether
the U. S. Senate will be controlled by the Democratic or by the
Republican party in 2007 and 2008. In the November 15th issue of the
New York Times reporter Mark Leibovitch told the story with a wit that
Mark Twain, with a twinkle in his eye, would surely have relished. I
reprint the report here, only slightly abridged.

*****Enter,
Pariah: Now It's Hugs for Lieberman
By Mark Leibovitch

Senator Joseph I. Lieberman strode into a Democratic caucus
gathering like he owned the place or, at the very least, like someone
who is a flight risk and could leave at any minute, taking the
Democrats' new majority with him.
In other words, everyone was extra-special nice to the wayward Democrat
on Tuesday. "It
was all very warm, lots of hugs, high-fives, that kind of stuff, " said
Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado.
Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon marveled, "One senator after
another kept coming up and shaking his hand."
And Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas noted, "I gave him
a hug and a kiss."
Mr. Lieberman received a standing ovation at a caucus
luncheon after Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, who is poised to become
the majority leader, declared, "We're all family."
All of which is particularly touching in light of recent
history. It was after all just three months ago that Mr. Lieberman
became something of a party pariah after losing the Democratic primary
in Connecticut but continuing his re-election bid as an Independent.
Mr. Lieberman won re-election last week without
help from most of his Democratic Senate colleagues, who backed Ned
Lamont, his Democratic rival, over their "good friend Joe Lieberman."
These would be many of the same good friends "who were
happy to leave my dad by the side of the road," as Mr. Lieberman's son,
Matthew, put it in an election night speech. These, presumably, would
include "friends" like Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, John
Kerry of Massachusetts and Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut, all
Lamont supporters.
"It's clear that the Democrats need him at this point more
than he needs them," said Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine,
whom Mr. Lieberman genuinely does consider a close friend. "How sweet
is this?"
Indeed, it is hard to imagine how Mr. Lieberman could have emerged
better from last week's election. He was re-elected comfortably, and
the Democratic Party he still belongs to is now in the majority,
assuring him the chairmanship of the powerful Homeland Security
Committee.
Yet that majority is slim enough, 51 to 49, to turn Mr. Lieberman into
arguably the Senate's most influential member. If he defects, the
Senate would effectively be under Republican control because
Vice-President Dick Cheney would cast tie-breaking votes.
"It was very painful to him to have all these people he thought
were hisfriends embrace his opponent," Ms. Collins said, "they
just threw him overboard. But now, not only is he reelected
resoundingly, but he is also the key to which party controls the
Senate."
Mr. Lieberman's situation underscores the precarious
calculus of political friendships. People close to him say
he remains miffed, if not bitter, about what he considers the betrayal
of allies who supported an unknown, untested and unfamiliar candidate.
In recent months, Mr. Lieberman has frequently invoked the Harry
Truman maxim that if you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.
Mr. Lieberman has suggested he has felt especially wounded
by Mr. Dodd, Connecticut's senior senator, with whom he had shared a
close bond since arriving in the Senate in 1989. Mr. Dodd had supported
Mr. Lieberman in the primary, but endorsed Mr. Lamont after he won. Mr.
Dodd's appearance with Mr. Lamont at a Democratic "unity" rally and in
a campaign commercial infuriated Mr. Lieberman, friends said.
Mr. Dodd said in a brief interview Tuesday, "We all make
decisions, and those decisions have consequences."
Earlier in the day, he attended a Capitol Hill news
conference that drew every Democrat in Connecticut's congressional
delegation except Mr. Lieberman.
Friends said the strains between Mr. Lieberman and his
Democratic colleagues show.
"It will take a little time for the room to really warrn
up from both ends," said Senator Mary L. Landrieu of Louisiana, one of
the few Senate Democrats who supported Mr. Lieberman in his general
election campaign. "I would not be forthright if I didn't say there was
some healing and work that has to be done."
During the campaign, Mr. Lieberman said repeatedly that he would
continue to vote with the Democratic caucus, but there were calls from
the left for the Democratic leadership to strip him of his seniority
and committee assignments if he won.
But as Mr. Lieberman claimed a healthy lead in the polls,
Mr. Reid reached out to him. Over time, Mr. Reid's and other Democratic
leaders' support for Mr. Lamont became half-hearted, or non-existent,
according to Mr. Lamont's campaign.
Mr. Lieberman classifies himself as an "independent
Democrat" and has said that recent events left him feeling "liberated"
and "unshackled" ....
He stirred up more anxiety Sunday, when in an interview on
NBC's "Meet the Press," he refused to rule out becoming a Republican
(while adding, "I hope I don't get to that point").
In brief remarks to reporters Tuesday, Mr. Lieberman said he had refused to rule
out switching parties largely because Tim Russert, the show's
host, "kept pressing me on it."
But Mr. Lieberman also said that while "most of my vote
clearly came from independents and Republicans" in Connecticut, "it's
fair to say that I couldn't have won without Democratic support."
Mr. Lieberman restated that it was possible he could join
Senate Republicans, but he added, "I'm not going to threaten on every
issue to leave the caucus."
Clearly, friends say, he is relishing his sudden ascent from Democratic
reject in Connecticut to Senate king-maker in Washington. "He is just
sitting there in the catbird seat, and it must be deliciousfor him, "
Ms. Collins said.
Mr. Lieberman was asked Tuesday if he viewed his position
as similar to a swing vote on the Supreme Court, a role often played by
former Justice Sandra Day O'Connor or Justice Anthony M. Kennedy. The
parallel had not occurred to him, Mr. Lieberman replied, but he
considered it "a complimentary analogy." He
beamed as he said this, as he did for much of the day.